Mechanical surprise toy



Oct. 2, 1962 J. A. FRAMPTON MECHANICAL SURPRISE TOY Filed Dec. 22, 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN A. FRA MPTON BY MA HOMFV, M/LLA'R & RA M50 AETOR/VEKS.

i it tates This invention relates to a mechanical surprise toy.

It has to do, more specifically, with a surprise toy of the mechanically moved type which is disposed within a container, such as a box with a removable lid, and which will be started automatically upon removal of the lid from the box in order to obtain a surprise effect. The toy preferably comprises a movable, simulated body mounted on the base of the box representing an insect or animal which is moved by means of a power unit in the base and which is preferably in the form of a key-winding spring motor. This motor can be wound by means of a key when the lid is positioned on the base of the box and when the lid is removed, the motor will unwind moving the body as indicated above. The entire unit is designed to give the surprise effect upon removal of the box lid and to facilitate replacement of the lid when the motor stops. Also, the unit is so designed that the lid precludes movement of the body as the spring motor is wound.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the drawing and the following description.

This invention will be described as including a simulated body of an insect such as a spider. However, simulations of other insects, animals, etc. may be used but it is preferred that they be of a repulsive type so as to create considerable surprise when the box is opened.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of this invention and in this drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the toy showing the base and lid of the box in spaced relationship.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view showig the base of the box with the spider body mounted thereon and indicating by broken lines movement of the body.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view, partly broken away, taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating replacement of the lid on the base of the box.

With reference to the drawings, there is illustrated a toy which includes a container preferably in the form of a substantially cubical box that includes a base and a lid 11 that will telescope downwardly over the base. The base 10 has a flat upper surface 12 flush with its top edge. Along one edge of the base there is formed an upwardly opening pocket 13. This pocket extends the full depth of the base and the full length thereof having parallel inner and outer walls 14 and 15, respectively. It is preferred that the box be made of paperboard or cardboard or other suitable relatively cheap material.

The simulated body of the toy is preferably a simulation of a spider and is indicated by the numeral 16. It is preferably of rubber or plastic or other suitable material and has flexible members 17, in this example tentacles, extending laterally in both directions from the head end of the body. The body 16 is mounted on the base 10 of the box directly above the fiat surface 12 from which it is spaced to permit relative movement.

It will be noted from FIGURE 3 that the total length of the body 16 is slightly less than the corresponding dimension or length of the base 10'. The lower surface of the body 16 is flat and has suitably secured thereto, as by an adhesive, a fiat spacer 18 of cardboard or similar 3,056,602 Patented Oct. 2, 1962 material. The body is carried by a horizontally disposed crank arm 19 pivoted to the body substantially at its center. This crank arm is mounted for swinging movement above the level of the surface 12 and is pivoted to the body by a pointed pin or nail 20 which extends upwardly through an opening at the outer end of the crank arm 19 and is forced into the body 16.

The crank arm 19 is at the upper end of the drive shaft 21 of a motor 22. The motor 22 is fastened to a vertical partition 23 in the base 10 and the shaft 21 extends up wardly therefrom through an opening 24 in the surface 12. The motor is of the spring or clock type and is wound by means of a key-receiving stem 30 depending therefrom which is accessible through an aligning opening 25 in the bottom wall of the base 16 of the box.

To prevent revolving of the body 16 when the crank 19 swings about the axis of the shaft 21, it is anchored to the base of the box by one of the flexible tentacles 17, preferably the rearwardmost one at one side of the body, which is specifically designated by the numeral 17a. The end of this tentacle 17a is passed rearwardly and then downwardly through an opening 26 in the flat surface 12 to a point inside the rear wall of the base where it is anchored as by means of a staple 27. There is sufficient slack in this tentacle 17a when the crank arm 19 swings rearwardly (FIGURES 2 and 3) that when the crank arm swings forwardly, it will permit gyrating movement of the body 16, as indicated by the broken lines in FIG- URE 2, so that the head of the body will move outwardly beyond the rim or margin of the base 10. However, although the body 16 will orbit bodily in a generally circular path, it will be precluded by the anchoring tentacle 17:: from completely revolving about the axis of the pin 20. As indicated by the arrow in FIGURE 4, the crank 19 is driven in a counterclockwise direction. As is evident from FIGURE 3, the throw of the crank 21 is greater than the spacing from the forwardmost tip of the head of the body 16 to the margin or rim of the base 10.

Assuming the box is open and the motor 22 is inoperative because it has run down, the body 16 may be moved about the axis of the shaft 21, pivoting on the pin 20, until the body is completely within the margin of the box base 10, as indicated by the full lines in FIGURE 2. To facilitate positioning of the lid 11 on the base 19, the tentacles 17 at the side adjacent the anchoring tentacle 17 are gathered together and their ends are tucked into the pocket 13 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5. As shown in FIGURE 5, it is then simple to gather up the ends of the tentacles 17 at the other side by using the lid 11 of the box and then the lid can be telescoped over the base 10. The pocket 13 facilitates application of the lid since it provides means for gathering the tentacles at one side of the body and then the lid can be used for readily gathering them at the other side. When the lid 11 is positioned on the base 10, it will be apparent that if the motor 22 is wound and the body 16 tends to move counterclockwise in a rotary path, the head thereof will strike the front side wall of the lid and motion of the body will be stopped, permitting complete winding of the motor.

As soon as the lid 11 is slipped off the base 10, the head of the body can move outwardly beyond the margin of the base and, therefore, movement of the body in a closed path will be permitted. During this movement, the body 16 will pivot about the pin 20 but complete revolving movement about the pin will be precluded by the anchoring tentacle 17a, although a wiggling action will be produced. Obviously, as the body 16 moves with the crank arm 19, the tentacles that were in the pocket 13 will be displaced therefrom and will extend outwardly from the base like the tentacles at the other side as shown in FIGURE 1.

It will be apparent that this invention provides for a surprise mechanical toy which includes the simulation of a body of a creature that is movably mounted on the base of the box and which will move as soon as the lid is removed from the base. The body of the toy is of less area than the top area of the box base and is moved by the spring motor outwardly beyond the base whenever the box is opened but as long as the lid is in place, the body will not move and the motor will not unwind. Also, with the lid in place, the motor can be wound up with the key. The pocket at the end of the base of the box provides a pocket for receiving the outwardly extending members or tentacles which facilitates gathering of the tentacles within the box lid when telescoping the lid over the base.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1. A mechanical toy of the surprise type comprising a container base having a lid which telescopes therewith,

and said base having an upper surface, a body simulating a creature mounted above the base and being of an area less than the area of the upper surface of the base, means for movably mounting said body for movement to positions outside and within the area of the base, said last-named means comprising a crank arm extending above said base and to which said body is pivoted, said lid, when telescoped over the base, contacting said body to prevent such movement, said body having a plurality of flexible members extending therefrom, one of said members being attached to said base to preclude complete rotation of said body with said crank arm, and other of said members extending outwardly beyond the base, and a pocket at one side of the base for receiving certain of said flexible members.

2. A mechanical toy as defined in claim 1, including a spring motor mounted in said base for driving said crank arm, said crank arm having suflicient throw to move said body to successive positions within and out- 20 side the area of the base.

Reuge Sept. 24, 1957 Behrman Aug. 4, 1959 ap -m. 

